Opposition Mps Criticise Ministers Absence During Hadi S Debate

---

Opposition MPs criticised the absence of nearly all ministers when PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (PN-Marang) delivered his speech during the royal address debate in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) said the ministers were continuing to behave like they were still in the opposition.
“That’s a government that still thinks it’s the opposition. When they were in the opposition, they would boycott and walk out if they didn’t want to hear certain speeches, and now they’re doing the same thing.
“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has already decreed that Parliament should be a platform for the people’s voices. There must be checks and balances.
“It appears that today’s government does not respect the royal decree,” Afnan (above) told Malaysiakini.
Yesterday, social media was abuzz over the absence of the ministers while the PAS president was debating the motion of thanks on the royal address in Parliament.
A Malaysiakini check found that during Hadi’s speech, only Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim were present in the Dewan Rakyat, while the other ministerial seats were empty.
PAS president Abdul Hadi AwangMeanwhile, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang) said this was not the first time ministerial seats were empty during parliamentary debates.
“This has happened many times. Not only do they not attend, but sometimes there might not even be a quorum. The government is truly arrogant - arrogant and foolish.
“When we criticise them, they dismiss us. If they make mistakes, they should accept our criticism.
“This shows that the government is failing to manage many issues and does not want to face us,” he said.
According to data from civil society initiative MyMP, Hadi has attended only 54 out of 162 parliamentary sessions since July 26, 2021.
The site also listed him as one of the MPs with the lowest attendance in the Dewan Rakyat in 2023. - FMT

---